


A Little Light Larceny

by ShadowHaloedAngel



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bisexual Female Character, Debbie has a thing for tol girls being the tollest, F/F, Female Friendship, Flirting, Pepper's other poor decision ex is Debbie Ocean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2019-08-25 00:22:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16650721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowHaloedAngel/pseuds/ShadowHaloedAngel
Summary: Dating Tony Stark wasn't the only poor decision Pepper ever made in relationship terms. The other one has a lot more in common with Tony than either of them would ever admit. Pepper doesn't regret either of them.Pepper and Debbie in high school. I regret nothing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The soundtrack for this fic in my head (which I've sort of been working on for about two months, since Whumptober got in the way after I started working on it) is mostly old school Fall Out Boy. The main song I've had in my head while working on this is this one:
> 
> https://genius.com/Fall-out-boy-of-all-the-gin-joints-in-all-the-world-lyrics
> 
> Maybe also a little bit of this one:
> 
> https://genius.com/Fall-out-boy-nobody-puts-baby-in-the-corner-lyrics

There was always a certain smell associated with a new school year. It was like over summer they finally had time to deep clean the place. Of course, it never lasted, and there were some things that never changed. There was graffiti that had been there longer than any of the student body, and longer even than some of the teachers, and chewing gum so dried in place that it might as well be varnished over like an extra layer on desks to add some texture to the underside. But, new year, new start, mostly, and as clean a slate as it was possible to get in a place like this. 

Pepper was taking a few extra minutes to get her things straightened out in her locker, savouring the familiarity of it, and the fact that this was the last time she'd ever do it. It had been her locker for the last four years. It was a dumb thing to get sentimental over, but that little piece of continuity had been nice. 

She half turned over her shoulder as she heard muttering coming up behind her and hid a smile. 

"Yeah, yeah... FUCK YOU GRABER."

And the door next to hers was pulled open, and Pepper glanced at the new arrival. 

"Starting the new year like the old one ended?"

Debbie Ocean sighed, pulling stuff out of her bag and trying to redistribute it into some kind of order. She was looking damn good, but then, she always did. Pepper was fairly sure that her outfit just skimmed the acceptable edges of the dress code, but the staff had given up on that battle a long time ago. 

"Apparently so. He was mad because I told that prick Claude off for messing with the freshmen."

That made Pepper smile. They might not exactly be friends, but over four years she felt she'd gotten to know Deborah Ocean pretty well. Better than most of the student body, at least. She might have an interesting family and a slightly different moral code, but there were some things Debbie would never abide, and creeps, bullies, and harrassers were top of that list, no matter who their victims were. 

"Somebody had to. What's your schedule look like this semester?"

Debbie flicked through her binder, checking over everything. 

"Let's see... Monday, Wednesday, Friday should be... Econ, Biology II, English, and Humanities... Tuesday and Thursday are... Media, Psych, Theatre and my free period."

"Nice balance," Pepper commented, slamming her locker shut and leaning back against it, arms wrapped around her binder, "I think I'm in your English and Bio classes. Kinda glad they haven't moved us, actually. Don't know what I'd do with someone else in the next locker after three years next to you. All those fascinating love notes people put through the wrong door..." She grinned as Debbie winced. 

"Yeah... sorry about that."

"Don't worry. I passed most of them onto you, some were too good to pass up. And it's not like you can help it."

Debbie shrugged, one shoulder paired with a winning smile. 

"What can you do... still, you get any good dates off them?" She winked, and Pepper shook her head, laughing. 

"Nah, I'm not really people's type."

"You know that's not true, Pep."

Pepper made a non-committal noise, sliding a sidelong glance at the slender brunette. 

"I've got Stats first thing with McCoy, so I'd better get going. Have a good day, try not to get suspended. You're the highlight of my mornings."

Debbie winked, grinning and waggling her fingers playfully as she stuffed the last few things into her bag. 

"You too, Miss Trouble."

Pepper rolled her eyes and headed to class. It was going to be a long day, and although she hadn't exactly been slacking over the summer, it was still a shift in routine that would take some adjustment. This year already felt like it was racing by, and it had barely started. Sure, she knew that time seemed to pass faster as you aged, that was all relative, but this... this was more than that. This felt like the deep breath before the final plunge on the biggest, baddest bend of the rollercoaster, and although she had plans in place for college, she knew they could all change in the blink of an eye. This was her last chance to prove herself, but hopefully if she won enough battles, she'd win the war. 

Come lunchtime, she hit the library. This wasn't going to be the kind of year she could pass up on any study time, and keeping on top of her assignments was going to be the best way to ensure some kind of sanity. She grabbed her favourite corner table and set out her stuff, starting on the morning's stats assignment. The last thing she was expecting was Debbie Ocean to turn up, looking vaguely overwhelmed as she tried to find somewhere to sit. 

There was relief in the brunette's eyes when she spotted Pepper, and the redhead moved her stuff to make space, only raising an eyebrow in response. 

"Don't usually see you in here? Figured you'd be catching up with your girl gang, orchestrating chaos, that kind of thing. Bad morning?"

Debbie sighed, pulling out her papers. 

"Well, most of them got caught messing around, so they're busy, and I have a huge amount of work to do."

Pepper smiled a little, going back to her work. 

"I guess study habits haven't really come up before, huh?"

Debbie shrugged, smiling shyly. 

"Little bit... I'm not... the worst, but I'm not great either," she sighed softly, "Thanks for letting me sit here."

"No problem. Look, I'm no tutor, and we don't exactly work in the same fields but... if you need a little help?" Pepper shrugged, "You're not exactly the only one who decides to knuckle down in final year. If you've got plans... there's still time, and I'll help you out if I can."

Debbie watched her for a long moment, those deep brown eyes intense enough to drown in, the colour of coffee, or Pepper's favourite chocolate. 

"...Thank you. For now just... a friend?"

Pepper raised an eyebrow, pen tapping the corner of her lips. 

"Don't think it'll damage your credibility to be friends with me? But yes, friends."

Debbie grinned. 

"Eh... fuck credibility. Everyone knows you're one of the best in the school, they won't be surprised. You should probably be more concerned about your reputation."

"I'm no genius, but I work hard and it helps."

Debbie smiled again, all warmth and sincerity and admiration. 

"Yes it does. Let me work through the Psych stuff and I'll get started on my Theatre essay."

Pepper smiled back, feeling her cheeks flush a little. There was something magnetic about Debbie Ocean, that much was clear. 

"I'l be here for the rest of lunch. If you'd find it helpful you can come over afterschool if you want? I mean, not straight after, I've got a shift at the Milk Shoppe but... well."

"Let me check with my job? I know I go in tonight to work but I don't know when."

"New job? Old job?"

"Old job." Debbie smiled tiredly, tapping her pen on the pad of paper. 

"Family? I'm just... back at the Milk Shoppe like I said, so... feel free to come along and grab a table? None of the mystique or allure of flirting with footballers or drinking in the park, but... maybe I can get you a discount?"

"My shifts usually run on late, so I probably can't come after..."

Pepper nodded, focussing back on her work. 

"Well, you know where I live... do you have my number?"

"I don't, but here's mine?"

Debbie scribbled it on a scrap of paper, adding a heart at the bottom almost without thinking about it and sliding it across the table.

Pepper took it and palmed her phone out of her pocket, programming the number in and hitting call, waiting one ring before she cut it off. 

"Thanks. Now you have mine too. Not that I have my phone in class, obviously..."

She winked, and Debbie winked back, and Pepper was trying to tell herself that she wasn't blushing because that would be ridiculous. Instead, she looked back at her work, tapping her pen and trying to remember where she was mid-sentence. The two of them sit in silence for a little while, focusing on their work, and it's Pepper who finally breaks the quiet, still staring down at her paper. 

"...Have you thought about it much? Where you want to go after... what you want to do... though I guess there's a family firm?"

"I don't know, to be honest. My whole family's... well." Debbie smiles tiredly and it doesn't quite reach her eyes. Pepper impulsively reaches out to cover Debbie's hand with hers, trying not to think about it too much. 

"For what it's worth... whatever you want to do, I think you can do it?"

Debbie smiled softly, gazing at her. 

"I appreciate that. For what it's worth... I think you'll soar."

And now Pepper /knew/ she was blushing, because with this complexion she can't hide anything. 

"Well, here's hoping? I've got plans. And schoolwork's always been a more... consistent partner. Not all that healthy, or forgiving, but... consistent."

Debbie let out a soft bark of almost laughter. 

"I certainly understand that..."

Pepper stared, unable to stop her mouth moving even as her brain is screaming that now is not the time, and she shouldn't be having this conversation. It's not exactly conducive to this fragile... friendship they're feeling out. 

"I thought you and... Whitney?"

Debbie shook her head, but she was still smiling even if it was a little bittersweet. 

Pepper winced. 

"I'm sorry..."

"Not the first, won't be the last." Debbie's smile warmed and she turned the page over in her notebook, "It's alright."

"You're quite the heartbreaker."

Debbie chuckled. 

"Oh, don't I know it."

"You'd do a better job of organising the prom than the usual bunch. We'd have a better time, I'm sure."

Debbie grinned, one perfect eyebrow arched as she tapped her pen against her lip. 

"But, booze isn't allowed. Nor is sex."

Pepper blinked innocently, eyes wide. 

"I'm sure you'd find a way?"

Debbie tilted her head, frowning, considering for a moment before another grin, calculated and mischevious crept slowly across her features. 

"I'll try for it."

"I'd vote for you. You organise it, I might even come, though it's not as fun a night without a date."

Debbie shrugged, flicking her hair back over her shoulder casually and flicking a glance at Pepper again. 

"...You could go with me? Just two gal pals having fun?"

Pepper laughed, but she knew her traitorous cheeks were blushing again despite herself, and... although it's a terrible idea, at the same time... she can't deny its appeal. 

"You organise a party worth coming to, and I might just consider saying yes. But you'll have to ask me properly."

"Deal."

Debbie held her hand out, and Pepper shook it, feeling like her face was on fire. She had a stab at redirecting the conversation. 

"Alright then. Want some tips on that essay?"

"If you don't mind looking it over? It's in regards to stage hand techniques through the centuries because Logan's an ass who knows we're all bored."

Pepper laughed. 

"And he likes making it worse. Here, I'll take a look."

Debbie's expression was almost pathetically grateful as she handed over her papers. 

"Thanks. Here's the... incredibly rough draft I whipped up."

"No problem. Let me see what I can do."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First moves and first kisses

The semester was flying by, and before she was really ready for it, Hallowe'en was almost upon them. It was one of her favourite holidays really, but Pepper wasn't so sure what her plans were going to be this year. There were always parties, sure, but she didn't always get invited, and really... some of them, even if she was invited, she wasn't all that keen on going. Some of her peers were becoming a little... tiresome. Honestly it felt a lot like aging prematurely, but if school was feeling too small before they even got to Christmas break, the rest of the year was going to be painfully slow. 

Someone she was finding herself a little less tired of, much to her own surprise, was Debbie Ocean. They'd known each other for years. It was a small town, after all, and they'd had lockers next to each other since freshman year. It had always been... they had never been friends, never really mixed in the same social circles, but there had never been any antagonism either. Really Pepper had been surprised to discover in sophomore year that Debbie did actually know her name. 

Since their talk all the way back on the first day of senior year, things had changed. They were... if nothing else, definitely friends now. Pepper had almost started taking it for granted that Debbie would come over to her house most weekends to study for a few hours. Sometimes she even came to the Milk Shoppe to hang out and work, getting help from Pepper in between the redhead running orders to the tables. She didn't seem to be hanging out with her old crew so much, but she was still indisputably one of the queen bees. Pepper knew that the reputation had to come from somewhere, but the Debbie she knew was... well, if not nice then at least genuine. 

It was already the second week of October, with red-gold leaves blanketing the ground when the doorbell rang one Saturday afternoon and Pepper ran down the stairs to answer, already knowing who it would be. 

Sure enough, Debbie was standing there when she opened the door. She was wearing dark wash jeans that hugged her hips and legs, cute ankle boots and a sweater, holding two cups of coffee. 

"...I brought sustenance?"

Pepper grinned and stepped back to let her in, trying to ignore the way her heart leapt a little bit to have Debbie with her again. 

"...In that case you're definitely welcome. What do you have to do today?"

"I've got a stage plan due for Logan, an essay for English, and we've both got that bio test next week."

Pepper pulled a face in sympathy, and Debbie smiled. 

"I know... they're really upping the workload, aren't they?"

"Sure seems that way... what about you?"

"I've got some stats problems, the English essay and studying for the bio test. I've already made some notes for that, so maybe we can quiz each other?"

"Sounds like a plan... hey can we... go upstairs maybe?"

Pepper blinked. 

"Sure... you hungry or anything? I can grab us some snacks?"

"I just had lunch but... well I figure we'll need a study break later?"

"Okay well... let's go up then, I guess?"

Debbie's smile was genuine but small, and Pepper couldn't shake the feeling that there was something going on that the Ocean wasn't saying. Still, her family was an open secret, and being one of the few out queer girls in the year wasn't easy either. Pepper figured the least she could do was try to be a good friend and maybe somebody constant. She didn't want to judge or speculate, obviously, but she wasn't sure how much consistency Debbie really had in her life. Really she kind of envied the other girl's confidence, even if she was starting to realise, getting to know her better, that more than a little bit of it was front. Even so, it still seemed like Debbie knew exactly who she was in some ways that Pepper was still trying to figure out. 

They headed to her room, and Pepper already had the little table cleared off with plenty of room for notebooks and binders, her stack of post-it flags and highlighters and coloured pens in the middle. She usually kept her room pretty tidy, but she always cleaned up on Saturday morning to make sure it was ready for Debbie to come over, and tried not to think too hard about why she cared so much. 

~

They'd been hard at work for a few hours and were taking a break for cookies, Pepper was flopped on her bed while Debbie was lying on the floor staring at her ceiling, both of them keen on being in a different position than sitting hunched over the table. 

"...So I... fuck. I don't know. Maybe I'm judging this wrong, but... well, I got you something? You know, just... to say thanks. For being so patient with me about all this. There are a lot of people who probably would have told me to get fucked and... I can kinda see why. I've coasted through a lot of stuff and I haven't really worked for a lot of other stuff. But I really do want to do well this year and when I told you that... you didn't laugh and you actually took me seriously. Even though I was basically starting from zero on the study skills thing, I'm starting to feel like maybe college is achievable for me after all. So I got you a little something to say thanks for being a friend."

Debbie wriggled a little, pulling a small tube out of her pocket and throwing it up to land in front of Pepper on the bed. The redhead picked it up and examined it. 

"It's a lipstick?"

"It's a new line. I've got a few, I really like them. I thought that might be your colour. They're... well they're supposed to be smear-proof, but I haven't really had someone to test it with, so I don't know."

Pepper laughed, rolling onto her back and holding the lipstick up, turning it over in her hands. It was a nice shade. She decided not to ask about the drugstore security sticker still on the back, and instead rolled to her feet, standing in front of her mirror and applying a coat. Oh, yes, this was good. She pursed her lips, making sure the pigment was evenly applied, then turned to Debbie, suddenly feeling incredibly shy, knowing it showed on her traitorous cheeks. 

"...What do you think?"

Debbie was propped up on her arms on the floor, staring at her, and Pepper could feel her cheeks heating further. 

"...Yeah. Yeah it looks... it looks good. Suits you. I'll remember that."

"Do you..." Pepper swallowed, unable to believe she was really asking this question, but she didn't want to let this opportunity pass even if she wasn't sure what she wanted. Surely it didn't have to mean anything, right? "Do you... wanna help me test it, maybe?"

Debbie frowned a little, then pushed herself up to her feet, taking a step towards Pepper. 

"Test it? How?"

"Well you said... it's meant to be smudge-proof, right?"

Pepper was pretty sure her face had to be the colour of her hair by now, but really, what did she have to lose? She bit her lip a little and took a step towards Debbie. 

"So why don't we... see if it smudges?"

"...Pepper are you sure about this?"

"We're friends, right?"

"Yeah, we're friends. You want me to kiss you?"

"...Yeah. I do. Is that... a problem?"

"Depends."

"Depends on what?"

"Depends on whether you want me to kiss you as a friend or whether you want me to kiss you as... more than that."

Pepper shrugged, swallowing, eyes on Debbie's because she was trying so hard to be brave. 

"...And if I did want you to kiss me as more than that?"

"...I mean, I've dated girls before, everybody knows that. I've dated girls and boys. I don't regret any of my choices. Or at least, not like that, some of them were poor decisions irrespective of their gender. But... it's a big step. Unless you don't want anyone to know about it. Which I get, but I don't... really want to be somebody's dirty little secret, you know? I didn't... I don't think you're like that."

Pepper was the one who took the final step to close the distance between them, reaching for and taking both of Debbie's hands, her heart pounding in her chest, close enough to feel Debbie's breath tickling over her lips. 

"...I'm not like that. And I know I haven't really dated before but... all I know right now is that I really want to kiss you, and I really want you to kiss me, and I'm hoping that... whatever comes after that we can figure out together. Is that okay with you?"

And after a long moment, Debbie nodded, cracking her usual hot, confident smirk. 

"...Yeah. That's okay with me."

And she kissed her.


End file.
